It is managed by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust,[1] which purchased the site in 1970. Notable for its lagoons, the site is in the Lea valley and its other habitats are meadow, hedgerows, marsh and willow woodland.

The spring feeds the nearby River Lea.

[2] Its lagoons are fed by springs, so they never freeze over and provide an important habitat for birds in cold winters.

[3] Green sandpipers are migratory; a colour ringing project has revealed information about the travels of the Lemsford population including their breeding sites in Scandinavia.

[5] The reserve is kept locked and access can be arranged with the Wildlife Trust warden.